Apparatus, system and method for determining compliant use of an intraoral appliance

Abstract

A compliance monitoring system (40) for an intraoral appliance comprises a power source (460), a detector (410) for detecting when the intraoral appliance is positioned in the mouth for use, a recorder (430) configured to record measurement data, and a transponder (440) configured to communicate the measurement data. The monitoring system is adjustable based on a particular property of a patient or a group of patients.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A compliance monitoring system for an intraoral appliance comprising:
 a power source; 
 a detector including at least one signal emitter and at least one signal receiver, and configured to detect signals received by the signal receiver when the intraoral appliance is positioned in the mouth for use; and 
 a transponder configured to communicate measured data, corresponding to the signals received by the signal receiver, to a remote processing system, 
 wherein the monitoring system is configured to, based on signals received by the signal receiver and representing a particular property of a patient or a group of patients, adjust wave length, intensity, amplitude, frequency, phase, modulation, coding or impedance of the detector signal emitter or signal receiver, and the signal emitter and the signal receiver are separately adjustable. 
 
     
     
       2. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal emitter or the signal receiver is adjustable based on a unique characteristic of a patient or a group of patients. 
     
     
       3. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the particular property is a physical property including one or more of the group consisting of colour, teeth enamel, temperature, distance, angle, shape, and wherein the colour is colour of gum, teeth, or inside of cheek. 
     
     
       4. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote processing system is configured to determine and report compliant or non-compliant use of the intraoral appliance based on measured data received from the transponder. 
     
     
       5. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal emitter is an infrared-light emitter, and wherein the signal receiver is an infrared-light receiver. 
     
     
       6. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal emitter is an ultra sound emitter, and wherein the signal receiver is an ultra sound receiver. 
     
     
       7. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal emitter is a current emitter, and wherein the signal receiver is a voltage receiver. 
     
     
       8. The compliance monitoring system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal emitter and the at least one signal receiver are adjustable and/or are adapted for being calibrated. 
     
     
       9. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one signal emitter and/or the at least one signal receiver of the monitoring system is automatically adjustable. 
     
     
       10. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , the signal emitter or the signal receiver is adjusted based on signal measurements by the signal receiver while the signal emitter is controlled to emit a signal, and signal measurements by the signal receiver while the signal emitter is controlled to not emit a signal. 
     
     
       11. The compliance monitoring system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the signal emitter and the signal receiver are configured to be operated with a wavelength adapted for:
 reflection on the specific enamel of a patient's tooth or teeth; 
 the individual relative position between emitter, receiver and tooth; and/or 
 distance, angle, shape/geometry, colour, surface properties, type of tooth, temperature, and/or fluid media in contact with the emitted and/or reflected signal. 
 
     
     
       12. The compliance monitoring system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the detector is a reflective detector. 
     
     
       13. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the transponder is a radiofrequency identification transponder having a radiofrequency identification modulator/demodulator and a data storage medium. 
     
     
       14. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , further comprising a recorder configured to record measurement data and a controller configured for periodical activation of the detector including a reflective infra-red detector and the recorder. 
     
     
       15. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller comprises a crystal, an oscillator, a prescaler and a timer. 
     
     
       16. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor to process the measured data and associated time data, wherein the compliance monitoring system is further configured to record said processed measurement data and associated processed time data. 
     
     
       17. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 16 , wherein the processed measurement data and associated processed time data correspond to the accumulated period of time the intraoral appliance has been used in a specific day. 
     
     
       18. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is programmable to either store raw measurement data and associated time data, or to store processed measurement data and associated time data. 
     
     
       19. An intraoral appliance, comprising at least one splint, wherein said at least one splint is further designed for receiving the compliance monitoring system of  claim 1  in a position where the detector faces at least one of the teeth. 
     
     
       20. A mandibular repositioning device comprising a compliance monitoring system according to  claim 1 , and at least one splint configured to receive the compliance monitoring system in a position where the detector faces at least one of the teeth. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus determining compliant use of an intraoral appliance, comprising:
 the compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , and 
 a processing system comprising a communication device and an analysing device wherein 
 the communication device is configured for retrieving data from and for sending command data to the compliance monitoring system, and 
 the analysing device is communicatively coupled to the communication device and is configured for identifying, collecting and organising information from the monitoring system via the communication device in order to determine and report compliant or non-compliant use of the intraoral appliance. 
 
     
     
       22. A method for determining compliant use of an intraoral appliance with a compliance monitoring system in accordance to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 measuring a value V CE  indicative of a signal received by the signal receiver; and 
 determining whether a tooth is detected or not by comparing the value V CE  to a threshold value. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising the steps of:
 measuring a first value V CE1  while the signal emitter does not emit a signal 
 measuring a second value V CE2  while the signal emitter emits a signal; and 
 calculating the difference delta V CE  between the second value V CE2  and the first value V CE1 . 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , wherein the value V CE  to be compared with the threshold value is the difference delta V CE . 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the signal received by the signal receiver is based on a signal emitted by the signal emitter, wherein the signal is influenced by a physical property or by a unique characteristic of the patient. 
     
     
       26. The method in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein the compliance monitoring system is adjusted and/or calibrated by conducting at least one measurement outside the patient's oral cavity and a plurality of measurements inside the patient's oral cavity including changing the settings of the signal emitter and/or the signal receiver. 
     
     
       27. The method in accordance with  claim 26 , wherein the signal emitter and/or signal receiver is/are adjusted by changing the hardware settings of the compliance monitoring system, signal emitter and/or signal receiver. 
     
     
       28. The method in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein the threshold value and/or the adjustments of the signal emitter and/or signal receiver are determined during calibration. 
     
     
       29. The method in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein calibration comprises measuring a plurality of differences delta V CEx  obtained for different adjustments of the signal emitter and/or signal receiver in at least two different setups, one setup with the intraoral appliance in the application position and one setup with the intraoral appliance in a position outside the oral cavity. 
     
     
       30. The method in accordance with  claim 22 , including the step of automated laser sintering of the intraoral appliance for attaching the compliance monitoring system. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of obtaining a first three dimensional data set of the lower jaw and teeth of a patient, of the upper jaw and teeth of a patient and/or of the occlusal plane of closed jaws of a patient;
 obtaining a second three dimensional data set of a customized oral appliance, by means of computer aided design based on the first three dimensional data set; and 
 automated manufacturing of a customized oral appliance. 
 
     
     
       32. A compliance monitoring system coupled to an intraoral appliance configured to be positioned in the mouth, the compliance monitoring system comprising:
 a power source; 
 a detector coupled to the power source and including a signal emitter and a signal receiver; 
 a transponder configured to communicate measured data to a remote processing system; and 
 a processing system comprising at least one processor, wherein the processing system is coupled to the detector and is at least configured to:
 control the signal emitter to periodically emit a signal inside of the mouth; 
 receive, from the signal receiver, measurements of signals inside of the mouth captured by the signal receiver based on the signal emitted by the signal emitter; 
 adjust one or more parameters including wave length, intensity, amplitude, frequency, phase, modulation, coding or impedance of the signal emitter or the signal receiver based on the received measurements of signals inside of the mouth from the signal receiver, wherein the signal emitter and the signal receiver are separately adjustable; and 
 
 communicate, using the transponder, the received measurements from the signal receiver. 
 
     
     
       33. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 32 , wherein the one or more parameters are adjusted based on a plurality of measurements of the signals captured by the signal receiver. 
     
     
       34. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 33 , wherein the one or more parameters are adjusted based on (1) at least one measurement of the signals captured by the signal receiver while the signal emitter is controlled to not emit a signal and (2) at least one measurement of the signals captured by the signal receiver while the signal emitter is controlled to emit a signal. 
     
     
       35. A compliance monitoring system coupled to an intraoral appliance configured to be positioned in the mouth, the compliance monitoring system comprising:
 a power source; 
 a detector coupled to the power source and including a signal emitter and a signal receiver; 
 a transponder configured to communicate measured data to a remote processing system; and 
 a processing system comprising at least one processor, wherein the processing system is coupled to the detector and is at least configured to:
 control the signal emitter to periodically emit a signal inside of the mouth; 
 receive, from the signal receiver, measurements of signals inside of the mouth captured by the signal receiver based on the signal emitted by the signal emitter; 
 
 
       adjust one or more parameters including wave length, intensity, amplitude, frequency, phase, modulation, coding and/or impedance of at least one of the signal emitter and the signal receiver based on the received measurements of signals inside of the mouth from the signal receiver, wherein the one or more parameters are adjusted based on signal measurements by the signal receiver while the signal emitter is controlled to emit a signal, and signal measurements by the signal receiver while the signal emitter is controlled to not emit a signal; and
 communicate, using the transponder, the received measurements from the signal receiver. 
 
     
     
       36. A compliance monitoring system coupled to an intraoral appliance configured to be positioned in the mouth, the compliance monitoring system comprising:
 a power source; 
 a detector coupled to the power source and including a signal emitter and a signal receiver; 
 a transponder configured to communicate measured data to a remote processing system; and 
 a processing system comprising at least one processor, wherein the processing system is coupled to the detector and is at least configured to:
 control the signal emitter to periodically emit a signal inside of the mouth; 
 receive, from the signal receiver, measurements of signals inside of the mouth captured by the signal receiver based on the signal emitted by the signal emitter; 
 adjust one or more parameters including wave length, intensity, amplitude, frequency, phase, modulation, coding and/or impedance of at least one of the signal emitter and the signal receiver based on the received measurements of signals inside of the mouth from the signal receiver, wherein adjusting one or more parameters includes changing a wiring configuration of the at least one of the signal emitter and the signal receiver; and 
 
 communicate, using the transponder, the received measurements from the signal receiver. 
 
     
     
       37. The compliance monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein a wavelength of the signal emitter is adjusted based on at least one signal measurement by the signal receiver while the intraoral appliance is positioned in the mouth for use, and a plurality of signal measurements by the signal receiver while the intraoral appliance is positioned outside of the mouth.